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SavannahYear 8
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LanguagesAu collège25 min★★ difficulty

Les matières et les opinions

Saying which subjects you like is easy. Saying why, with a reason attached, is what actually earns marks — and it is one small word: parce que.

Part of your national curriculum
  • Writing: Describe matters of personal and social interest clearly, both in speech and in writing, presenting facts and expressing opinions

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Describe matters of personal and social interest clearly, both in speech and in writing, presenting facts and expressing opinions

Key learning points

  • • Subject vocabulary
  • • A scale of opinions
  • • Giving a reason

This lesson at a glance

  • 25 minutes
  • 15 parts to scroll through
  • 4 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

matterspersonalsocialinterestclearly

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 15 · Discover7%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 15

Watch first

Les matières et les opinions

An English teaching video on this topic from Pearson UK & International Schools. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Describe matters of personal and social interest clearly, both in speech and in writing, presenting facts and expressing opinions

2

Learning cycle

Part 2 of 15

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · Subject vocabulary

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 15

Learn

Subject vocabulary

les maths, les sciences, l'anglais, le français, l'histoire, la géographie, l'informatique (computing), le dessin (art), l'EPS (PE), la musique. Notice that subjects keep their article: 'J'aime les maths', not 'J'aime maths'.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 15

Learn

A scale of opinions

je déteste (I hate) → je n'aime pas (I don't like) → j'aime bien (I quite like) → j'aime (I like) → j'adore (I love). Adding an intensifier stretches the scale further: j'aime beaucoup, je déteste vraiment.

5

Quick check

Part 5 of 15

Quick check

Which opinion is the strongest positive?

6

Quick check

Part 6 of 15

Quick check

Complete: 'J'aime la géographie ___ c'est utile.'

7

Reset break

Part 7 of 15

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 2 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
8

Learning cycle

Part 8 of 15

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · Giving a reason

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 15

Learn

Giving a reason

parce que + reason. 'J'adore l'histoire parce que c'est intéressant.' Useful reason adjectives: facile (easy), difficile (hard), utile (useful), ennuyeux (boring), passionnant (exciting). Before a vowel, parce que becomes parce qu': 'parce qu'il est sympa'.

10

Quick check

Part 10 of 15

Quick check

What is 'l'informatique'?

11

Quick check

Part 11 of 15

Quick check

'C'est ennuyeux' means...

12

Explore the idea

Part 12 of 15

Worked example

Model paragraph

Ma matière préférée, c'est l'histoire, parce que c'est passionnant et le prof est sympa. J'aime bien les sciences aussi, mais je n'aime pas les maths parce que c'est difficile pour moi. Three opinions, three reasons, one contrast with mais.

13

Challenge round

Part 13 of 15

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

14

Mastery quiz

Part 14 of 15

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Les matières et les opinions

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. Which opinion is the strongest positive?

  2. 2. Complete: 'J'aime la géographie ___ c'est utile.'

  3. 3. What is 'l'informatique'?

  4. 4. 'C'est ennuyeux' means...

15

Lesson round-up

Part 15 of 15

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

Not sat

Games

Not played

Points this lesson

0

Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

Ask Luna

Do the work

Your written work for this lesson

This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.

Extract

Une journée à Lyon

Samedi matin, je me lève à sept heures et demie. Je prends le petit déjeuner avec ma sœur — du pain, du beurre et un chocolat chaud. Ensuite, nous prenons le bus jusqu'au centre-ville.

J'aime beaucoup Lyon parce qu'il y a un grand marché près du fleuve. Ma sœur préfère les magasins, mais moi, je préfère le marché : c'est moins cher et c'est plus intéressant. À midi, nous mangeons un sandwich au parc.

L'après-midi, il commence à pleuvoir, alors nous rentrons à la maison en tram. Le soir, je fais mes devoirs et je regarde un film avec mes parents.

Original text written for Good Learning Co.

Reading questions

  1. In English, say what the writer does in the morning, at midday and in the evening.
  2. Find the phrases that give an opinion and a reason, and copy them out.
  3. Write 8–10 sentences about your own Saturday, using at least three phrases from the text.

  • Written practice

    Writing

    Write the sentences out in the language, then translate them back into English.

    8–10 sentences

  • Vocabulary page

    Working out

    Copy the new words, cover them, and test yourself. Note the ones you keep missing.

    15 words

Saved as you type.

Part 1 of 15 · Watch & discover

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    Describe matters of personal and social interest clearly, both in speech and in writing, presenting facts and expressing opinions

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